Burning ambition

Dougherty: desperate to build on victory

The whole team around me have been superb. A massive part of it is Mark Rowe. I've worked with Mark since the beginning of the year. My short game has always been very inconsistent and he's put a lot of time in with my pitching.

Nick Dougherty
Quotes of the week

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• Dougherty drives off with BMW

Nick Dougherty told Golf Night that he is determined to build on his victory in the BMW International Open and push into the world's top 50 and beyond.

The 27-year-old continued his impressive form with an opening round of five under par in the French Open and the Englishman said he now hopes to emulate fellow Brits Ross Fisher, Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson and establish himself amongst the world's golfing elite.

"This part of the season is the best time of the year to play well," said Dougherty, who is currently ranked 64 in the world.

"It is part of the season which in years gone by I actually haven't played my best golf so it is nice to start doing it now and hopefully I can build on it and start to compete more in the majors and catch up with some of the boys.

"Some of the lads I compete with week-in, week-out - your Ross Fishers, your Graeme McDowells, Ollie Wilsons - they kind of passed me in the year that I just had so it is nice to start playing like that and start competing with those guys because I miss being at the top of the game."

Gratitude

Dougherty paid tribute to his backroom staff for his recent success and gave special mention to Golf Night's Mark Roe for helping him reach peak condition.

"The whole team around me have been superb. A massive part of it is Mark Roe. I've worked with Mark since the beginning of the year. My short game has always been very inconsistent and he's put a lot of time in with my pitching.

"I didn't miss many greens last week and my pitching was superb. That long pitch from 100 yards was absolutely phenomenal so I owe a debt of gratitude to him. He has been great and hopefully we'll continue to improve and go forwards."

His BMW International Open victory in Munich was the third European Tour victory of his career and Dougherty believes the manner of the win will stand him in good stead for the rest of the season.

Having established a comfortable lead, Dougherty had to resist a late surge from Argentina's Rafa Echenique to cling on and claim the title by one shot and reflecting on his victory he said the nail-biting finish was exactly what he needed.

"I thought it was going to be like my other two wins which were quite comfortable in the end when I holed that one on the 15th. However now, because I ended up winning, I'm delighted he did [fight back] because it was a great test for me.

"I've never had to do it down the stretch like that playing solid golf. It was a real test of my mental resolve and I was up to the challenge. It was definitely my best win, not just because of the stature of the tournament, but the way I did it.

"To get in front like I did early doors and to get a nice lead in front and then to finish it off like that was superb when I was pushed all the way to the end. So I was delighted."

The French Open will provide the ambitious Englishman with the perfect opportunity to test his mettle against some of Europe's finest in a strong field including Colin Montgomerie, Soren Hansen and Lee Westwood.